Machine for operating on shoes



J. N. ALLARD 3,399,412

MACHINE FOR OPERATING 0N SHOES I 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jules /V Allard 5y his A zforrzey Sebi. 3,1968

Filed May 24. 1967' Sept 3, 1968 J. N. ALLARD 3,399,412

MACHINE FOR OPERATING 0N SHOES Filed May 24, 1967 Hg 3 wm l ggf;

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept- 3, 196s 4. N. ALLARD I 3,399,412

l MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON 'SHOES Filed May 24, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ZZZ United States Patent O 3,399,412 MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SHOES Jules N. Allard, Tyngsboro, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass., a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 24, 1967, Ser. No. 640,969 10 Claims. (Cl. 12--12.5)

ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A machine for shaping the upper materials of a shoe to the heel end of a last having a shoe supporting jack, a shoe rest, a heel band, an adhesive applying nozzle and wipers, in which a plurality of holddown members are provided for yieldingly holding the marginal portion of the heel end of the insole of the shoe against the bottom of the last when the heel end of a shoe on the jack is clamped again-st the shoe rest, together with means for moving the holddown members away from the insole after the heel band has shaped the upper materials to the heel end of the last and before the nozzle member is moved into contact with the insole to apply adhesive to marginal portions thereon and the lasting margin is wiped inwardly over the insole by the Wipers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to improvements in machines for shaping the upper materials of a shoe to the heel end of a last of the type disclosed and claimed in U.S. Letters Patent No, 3,271,800, issued Sept. 13, 1966,0n an application filed in the name of Jules N. Allard, which machine was an improvement over, and further development of, the earlier machine disclosed and claimed in U.S. Letters Patent No. 3,138,810, issued June 30, 1964 on an application filed in the name of Karl V. Becker,

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In machines of the type referred to above, especially the machine of the Allard patent, the shoe is supported on a jack which is movable to clamp the heel end of the shoe against a shoe rest. Thereafter, a heel band is caused to embrace the upper materials and to shape them to the heel end of the last. Molten adhesive then is applied to marginal portions of the heel end of the insole by means including a nozzle movable first into and then out of engagement with the heel end of the insole. Heel wipers thereafter are advanced and closed to wipe the lasting margin of the upper materials at the heel end of the shoe inwardly over and to press the lasting margin against the heel end of the insole. While machines of this type operate in a quite satisfactory manner to perform the aforementioned functions, difficulties are encountered in handling shoes on so-called rocker bottomed lasts, i.e., lasts having bottom surfaces at the heel ends which are somewhat convex in shape and curve upwa-rdly toward their marginal edges. These diiiculties arise because of the fact that the heel end of the insole which is generally at while held firmly against the bottom of the heel end of the last inwardly from the marginal edge thereof by the shoe rest will be spaced an appreciable distance heightwise therefrom adjacent to the marginal edge of the last. Accordingly, the heel wipers, suitably positioned relatively to the bottom of the heel end of the last to provide a proper wiping `and pressing action -frequently engage the marginal edge of the insole as they are advanced and closed and displace, distort or otherwise damage the insole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved machine of the type referred to above wherein ice means are provided for holding the marginal portions of the heel end of the insole of a shoe rmly against the bottom of the heel end of the last adjacent to the marginal edge thereof, thereby avoiding engagement of the marginal edge of the insole with the wipers as they are advanced and closed.

With the forgoing object in view and in accordance with a feature of this invention, the herein-illustrated machine which has a shoe supporting jack, a shoe rest, a heel band and heel wipers, is provided with means for yieldingly holding the marginal portion of the insole of a shoe on the jack against the bottom of its last adjacent to the marginal edge thereof, when the jack is moved to clamp the heel end of the shoe against the shoe rest. The holding means includes members movable away from the insole after the heel band has shaped the upper materials to the heel end of the last and before the wipers are advanced and closed.

More particularly, in the herein-illustrated machine, which also has a nozzle, movable lirst into and then out of contact with the insole, for applying adhesive to the marginal portions of the insole after the heel band has been operated and before the Wipers are advanced and closed, the means for holding marginal portions of the insole yieldingly against the last include a pair of members, one on each side of the longitudinal center line of the heel end of the shoe and located heelwardly of the shoe rest adjacent to the extreme heel end of the insole, and a third member located toewardly of the shoe rest. The pair of holddown members which are located heelwardly of the shoe rest are mounted for movement heightwise away from the insole and means, preferably fluid pressure actuated, are provided for thus moving these members away from the insole after the heel band has shaped the upper materials to the heel end of the last and before the adhesive applying nozzle is moved downwardly into contact with the insole to apply adhesive to marginal portions thereof and the Wipers advanced and closed to wipe the lastin-g margin of the upper materials inwardly over and to press it against the heel end of the insole.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a machine for operating on shoes, similar to the machine disclosed in the Allard patent referred to above and corresponding to FIG. 1 of that patent, the herein-illustrated machine, however, embodying the novel features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of certain of the operating elements of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in front elevation of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1 with the operating elements in positions assumed prior to the initiation of an operating cycle of the machine, and

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to FIG. 2, but showing the operating elements in positions assumed at different stages of the operating cycle.

Referring to these drawings and especially FIG. l, the machine therein illustrated, similarly to the machine of the Allard patent, has a main frame member indicated generally by the reference character 20 with which there is associated a shoe lsupporting jack 22. This jack is mounted for vertical movement, by means of a uid pressure actuated piston, not shown, but which is similar to the piston contained within the cylinder 44 of the from the loading postion in which it is shown to an operative position in which the heel end of a shoe S, comprising a last L with upper materials U and an insole I assembled thereon, is pressed against a shoe rest 30. Also associated with the frame member and slidably mounted thereon is a carriage on which there is mounted Va heel molding band 42, corresponding to the band 42 of the Allard patent and the band 156 of the Becker patent, and heel end wipers -52 (FIG. 4), corresponding to the wipers 50-52 of the Allard patent and the wipers 216-220 of the Becker patent.

For advancing the carriage 40 toward the heel end of a shoe on the jack in operating position, thereby to cause the heel molding band to embrace and shape the upper materials to the heel end of the last, a uid pressure actuated motor, not shown, but corresponding to the piston and cylinder 62 of the Allard patent, and operating through a lever 66 and link 68 is provided, while the wipers 50-52 are advanced and closed by the means of fluid pressure actuator, indicated generally by the reference character 70, and corresponding to the piston 70 and cylinder 72 of the Allard patent.

In accordance with the teachings of the Allard patent, there is also associated with the carriage 40, means for applying molten adhesive around the marginal portion of the heel end of the insole of a shoe after the upper materials have been shaped to the heel end of the last by the band 42 and before the wipers are advanced and closed to wipe the lasting margin of the upper materials inwardly over and to press it against the heel end of 4the insole. Thu-s, there is provided in the herein-illustrated machine, a nozzle member 118, corresponding to the nozzle member 118 of the Allard patent, together with mechanism for extruding molten thermoplastic adhesive through the nozzle. Since this mechanism is the same as that shown in the Allard patent it need not be described here in detail.

So far as presently described, the herein-illustrated machine corresponds to and operates in exactly the same manner as the machine of the Allard patent. Depression of a treadle-operated value, not shown, but corresponding to the valve 80, FIG. 8, of the Allard patent, causes tV s jack to be elevated to clamp the heel end of the shoe S rgainst the shoe rest 30. Then, upon release of this vr ve, a completely automatic operating cycle of the vn ious operating elements of the machine is initiated. D1 ting this cycle, the carriage 40 is iirst advanced to cm se the band 42 to shape the upper U to the heel em of the last (see FIG. 4) following which action the no: ftle 118 is moved downwardly onto the heel end of the insole (see FIG. 5) and molten thermoplastic adhesive is extruded through the nozzle and onto the marginal portion of the heel end of the insole I. Finally, the nozzle 118 is elevated to the position shown in FIG. 4 and the wipers are advanced and closed as shown in FIG. 6, thus completing the cycle. After a predetermined time dwell, the jack is lowered to release the shoe, the wipers are retracted and the carriage is returned to its original position. For a more detailed description of the operation of the machine, reference may be made to column 6, line 18 to column 7, line 19 of the Allard patent.

For the purpose of this invention, the herein-illustrated machine is provided with a plurality of holddown members adapted to contact the heel end of the insole of a shoe on the jack, adjacent to the marginal edge thereof, when the jack is elevated to bring the shoe into engagement with the shoe rest, thus to hold the marginal portion of the insole against the bottom of the last and avoid distortion or displacement of the insole by the advancing and closing wipers. Referring to FIGS. 1, 3-5, the shoe rest 30 is mounted on a U-shaped `bracket member 200, which is associated with the main frame 20. Secured to opposite side portions of this bracket member are two forwardly extending and downwardly curved arms 202, 202, each formed with a bifurcated portion 204. Pivotally mounted on pins 206, 206, carried by these bifurcated portions are two cylinders 208, 208,Y each containing a piston, not

shown, having a piston rod 210, 210.

Supported on the bracket member 200, one at each, side thereof, are two cylindrical casings 220, 220, in each of which is press fitted a guide bushing 222, FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Each of these casings is mounted for swinging movement about the axis of a trunnion pin 226 and hasconnected to its lower portion a link 228. Each of these links extends outwardly through a. clearance hole in a plate 230, carried by and extending downwardly from one side of the bracket member 200, and at its outer end is threaded to receive a knurled adjusting nut 232. A coil spring which surrounds each of these links and bears against washers 236, 236 serves to hold each casing yieldingly in the angular position in which it is shown. Slidably mounted within each of the guide bushings 222 is a plunger 240 provided with a cylindrical bore 242 at its lower end which receives the upper portion 243 of a leg member 244. Each leg member extends downwardly beyond the lower end of its associated casing, see FIGS. 3 and 4, and is provided with a shoulder 246. Interposed between this shoulder and the lower end of each plunger 240 is a compression spring 248 which normally holds its associated leg member 244 in the position shown in FIG. 3 and as determined by a pin 250 carried by the plunger 240 and extending through a slot 252 in the leg member. Pivotally mounted on the lower end of each leg member 244, by means of a pin 260, FIG. 1, is a holddown member 262.

Each of the pins 250 extends outwardly through a slot 264 formed on the bushing 222 and casing 220. These slots extend at an angle to the longitudinal axis of these parts as shown on the right hand casing in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, and are so arranged that when in the heightwise positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, these holddown members are angularly disposed, see FIG. 2, but are swung into a general parallel relation when the plungers 220 are elevated to the heightwise position, shown in FIG. 5. For thus elevating these plungers they are each connected to a piston rod 210 by means of a plate 270, which is secured to the piston rod at one end by a nut 272 and provided with a slot 274 at its other end. Each slot 274 receives a reduced portion 278 of a plunger and threaded into these reduced portions are headed screws 278, 278 beneath which are washers 280, 280.

The shoe rest 30 is carried at the lower end of a plunger 282 which is adjustably mounted in a rectangularly shaped housing 284, supported on the front portion of the bracket member 200. Secured to the front side of this housing is another and somewhat smaller housing 286. Slidably mounted within a vertically-extending bore 288 in this housing is a plunger 290 which is normally urged downwardly by a coil spring 292 to the extent determined by a pin 294, carried by the plunger, and a slot 296 in the housing. Pivotally mounted on the lower end of the plunger 290 by means of a pin 297 is a third holddown member 298.

The pistons within the cylinders 208, 208, are normally subjected to uid under pressure admitted to the upper ends of the cylinders from a main supply line, corresponding to the supply line 82, FIG. 8, of the Allard patent, through conduits 300, 300 while the lower ends of these same cylinders are connected to exhaust through conduits 302, 302, under the control of a conventional reversing valve, not shown. This valve is spring biased to its normal position and is adapted to be shifted to its other position in response to the pressure of operating uid in a conduit corresponding to conduit 270 of the Allard machine. Interposed in series in this conduit, between a valve corresponding to valve 280 of the Allard machine and a conduit corresponding to the conduit 300 of the Allard machine are two valves 310, 310 provided with operating plungers 312, 312, these valves being normally spring urged to closed positions. One of these valves, each of which is supported on a bracket member 320, appears in FIG. 1 and is shown in dotted line in FIG. 5. Secured to each cylinder 208, adjacent to its upper end, is a valve actuating cam plate 324, FIG. 1.

When the cylinders 208, 208 .are in the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, these cam plates are out of engagement with the plungers 312, 312, and hence valves 310, 310 remain in their closed positions. On the other hand, when the pistons in the cylinders 208, 208 are elevated, in response to the admission of fluid under pressure to the conduit iwhich corresponds to the conduit 270 of the Allard machine, as a result of the release of the treadle valve 80, FIG. 8 of the Allard patent, due to the angularity of the casings 220, 220, each cylinder 208, 208 Will be swung outwardly `far enough to cause its cam plate to engage a valve plunger 312, FIG. 5, thus opening its associated valve 310. Pressure fluid now flows through the conduit corresponding to the conduit 270' of the Allard machine to a valve corresponding to the valve 280 of the Allard machine, thus setting the adhesive applying apparatus into operation.

The improved machine which has just been described operates in the following manner. When, in response to the depression of the treadle operated valve, the jack 22 is elevated from the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings to the position shown in FIG. 4, thus to clamp the heel end of a shoe on the jack against the shoe rest 30, the holddown members 262, 262 and 298 will bear against the insole I, in the locations illustrated in FIG. 2 and, because of the action of the springs 248, 248 and 292, which are now slightly compressed, will hold the marginal portions of the heel end of the insole yieldingly against the bottom of the last, see FIG. 4, and compare with FIG. 3. During the automatic operating cycle which is now initiated in response to the release of the treadle valve, the heel band 42 is rst advanced to embrace the upper materials and to shape them to the heel end of the last as a result of the admission of fluid under pressure to the conduit corresponding to the conduit 270 of the Allard machine, since the valves 310, 310 are now closed so that pressure fluid does not reach the valve corresponding to valve 280 lof Allard. Next, the above-mentioned reversing valve is shifted by pressure iluid in conduit corresponding to conduit 270 of Allard to cause pressure fluid from the main supply line to be admitted to the lower ends of the cylinders 208, 208, thus causing the holddowns 262, 262 to be moved upwardly and away from the insole to the positions shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings.

Valves 310, 310 are now opened by the action of the cam plates 324, 324 on the valve plungers 312, 312, thus permitting the pressure lluid in the conduit corresponding to conduit 270 of Allard to ow to the valve corresponding to the valve 280 of thei Allard machine, which activates the adhesive supplying mechanism. The nozzle 118 is then moved downwardly and heel-wardly into contact with the marginal portions of the heel end of the insole, still held in contact with the bottom of the last after the elevation of the holddowns by the `action of the heel band, see FIG. 5, and applies a band of adhesive along the marginal portion of the insole. The operating cycle now continuous and is completed in the same manner as in the Allard machine. Thus, the nozzle is elevated and then the wipers are advanced and closed to wipe the lasting margin of the upper materials inwardly over Iand to press it against the heel end of the insole. Following a predetermined time dwell, the jack is moved downwardly to release the shoe and the various operating elements are returned to their original positions. During this nal stage in the operating cycle, the conduit which corresponds to the conduit 27 0 of the Allard machine is connected to exhaust. The abovementioned reversing valve will now be shifted by its lspring back to a position to admit pressure fluid to the upper ends of the cylinders 208, 208, causing the holddown members 262, 262 to be moved downwardly to the positions shown in FIGS. 3, 4 of the drawings. Holddown member 298 is, of course, moved downwardly by spring 292 to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, the holddowns 262, 262 may be adjusted by means of nuts 232, 232, so as to accommodate shoes of ydifferent sizes in a manner which will be quite apparent. As shown in FIG. 3, these holddowns are adjusted for the smallest size shoe which may be accomm-odated. When so adjusted, these holddown members just clear the nozzle member 118 when they are moved upwardly to the positions shown in FIG. 5 and swung into parallel relation by the action of slots 264, 264 on the pins 250, 250. Associated with each of the housings 220 is a stop `screw 330, FIG. 3, which limits adjusting movement of the housing 220 in one direction. These stop scre'ws are provided to prevent an inadvertent adjustment of the holddown members 262, 262 to positions in which they would interfere with the nozzle 118 as it is moved downwardly from the positions shown in FIG. 4 to the positions in FIG. 5.

As suggested above, the holddown members 262, 262 and 298 hold the marginal portions of the heel end of the insole I, smoothly 'against the curved .bottom surface of the heel end of the last, when the shoe is clamped against the holddown by the elevation @of the jack 22. Now, as the heel band is advanced to embrace the heel end of the upper materials, the marginal edge of the insole 'will be trapped by the lasting margin of the upper. Thus, the marginal portions of the insole will :be held against the bottom of the last when the holddowns 262, 262 are elevated to the positions shown in FIG. 5, to provide a clearance space for the nozzle 118 as it is operated to apply adhesive to the insole and for the wipers 50, 52 as they are subsequently advanced and closed. With the marginal portion of the end of the insole thus held against the bottom of the last, all danger of the advancing wipers engaging the marginal end of the insole and displacing or distorting it, as they are `advanced and closed, is a'voided. Also, with the marginal portion of the insole held smoothly against the bottom of the last, out to the extreme marginal edge thereof, a sharper and better dened feather line is obtained.

Having thus described my invention, what I cla-im as new )and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for operating on shoes having a shoe rest, a jack for supporting a shoe comprising a last for an insole and upper materials assembled thereon, said jack being movable from a loading position to an operating position in which the heel end of the shoe is clamped against the shoe rest, a heel band, Wipers, and power operated mechanism for first actuating the band to close the band to embrace the upper material-s and shape them to the heel end of the last and then to cause the Wipers to advance and close to wipe the lasting margin of the upper materials inwardly over and to press the lasting margin against the heel end of the insole, -a plurality o-f holddown members adapted to contact the heel en'd of the insole of a shoe on the jack adjacent to the marginal edge thereof when the jack is moved to bring the shoe into engagement with the shoe rest, and to hold the marginal edge of the insole against the [bottom of the last before the heel band is actuated, certain of said holddown members being mounted for movement heightwise of 'the last away from the insole, and means for thus moving these holddown members after the heel band has embraced the upper materials and before the Wipers lare advanced and closed.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of holddown members include a pair of members, arranged one on each side of the shoe rest and located heelwardly thereof adjacent to the extreme heel end of the insole land wherein said pair of members are mounted for movement heightwise away from the insole.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plurality of holddown members include a pair of members, arranged one on each side of the shoe rest and located heelw-ardly thereof adjacent to the extreme heel end of the insole, and a third member located toewardly of the shoe rest, and wherein said pair of holddown members are mounted for movement heightwise away from the insole.

4. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the holddown members are adapted to hold the marginal portions of the insole yieldingly against the bottom of the last.

5. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for movin-g the movable holddown members away from the insole comprise fluid pressure actuated motors.

6. A machine for operating on shoes having a shoe rest, a jack for supporting a shoe comprising a last with an insole and upper materials assembled thereon, said jack being movable from a loading position to an operating position in which the shoe is in engagement with the shoe rest, a heel band, wipers, and power operated mechanism for actuating the heel band and wipers in predetermined sequence rst to cause the band to embrace the upper materials and shape them to the heel end of the last and then to cause the wipers to advance and close to wipe the lasting margin of the upper materials inwardly over and to press it against the heel end of the insole, means for applying adhesive to the heel end of Ine insole after the upper materials have been shaped to the last by the heel band and before the wipers are advanced and closed, said means including a nozzle member mounted for movement first into and then out of engagement with the heel end of the insole, a plurality of holddown members adapted to contact the heel end of the insole adjacent to the marginal edge thereof when the jack is moved to bring the shoe into engagement with the shoe rest and to hold the marginal edge of the insole 8 against the bottom of the last before the heel band is operated, certain of said holddown members being mounted for movement heightwise of the last away from the insole, and means for thus moving these holddown members after the heel band has embraced the upper materials and beforeI the nozzle is moved downwardly into contact with the insole and the wipers advance and close. 7. A machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein the plurality of holddown members include a pair of members, arranged one on each side of the shoe rest and located heelwardly thereof adjacent to the extreme heel end of the insole and wherein said pair of members are mounted formovement away from the insole.

8. A machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein the plu rality of holddown members include a pair of members, arranged one on each side of the shoe Irest and located heelwardly thereof adjacent to the extreme heel end of the insole, and a third member located toewardly of the shoe rest, and wherein said pair of members are mountedfor movement heightwise away from the insole.

9. A machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein the holddown members are adapted to hold the marginal portions of the insole yieldingly against the ibottom' of the last.

10. A machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein the means for moving the movable holddown members away from the insole comprise Huid pressure actuated motors.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,710,161 4/1929 Gouldbourn 12-1 2,656,552 10/1953 Butler et al 12-12.5 2,706,823 4/ 1955 Jorgensen l2--10.l 2,724,845 11/ 1955 Hill 12-8.8 3,271,800 9/1966 Allard l2-12.5

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

